Post-game notes

• The Rangers defeated the Red Wings, 5-1, at Madison Square Garden to improve to 3-1-0 in pre-season action, including a 2-0-0 mark at home. New York tallied three goals in the game’s opening period, the most the team has tallied in a period this pre-season.
• The Blueshirts notched one power play goal in five attempts (7:10), and are now seven-for-21 (33.3%) with the man advantage through four pre-season games.
• Henrik Lundqvist turned aside 35 of 36 shots to improve to 2-0-0 in pre-season action. Lundqvist has stopped 60 of 65 shots faced through two games, registering a 2.48 goals against average and a .928 save percentage over the span.
• Marian Gaborik opened the game’s scoring one minute into the contest with his team-leading third power play goal of the pre-season. Gaborik, who led the Rangers with 42 goals and 86 points last season, also added his first assist of the pre-season, and has now recorded four points (three goals and one assist) in three games.
• Sean Avery notched the game-winning goal at 4:39 of the first period, and recorded a plus-two rating in the contest. He finished the home-and-home set against Detroit with two goals.
• Forward Ruslan Fedotenko tallied the primary assist on the game-winning goal, and finished the contest with two assists and a plus-two rating. Fedotenko is now tied for the team lead with four assists and five points in three pre-season games.
• Rookie center Derek Stepan registered two points (one goal and one assist) and a plus-two rating in the contest, and has now recorded three points (one goal and two assists) in three pre-season appearances. Last season, Stepan established career-highs with 12 goals, 42 assists and 54 points while skating in 41 games with the University of Wisconsin Badgers of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA).
• Defenseman Michael Del Zotto notched an even strength goal at 7:34 of the third period, and registered a team-high, four shots on goal in 22:16 of ice time. He is now tied for the team-lead with five points (two goals and three assists) in two games. Del Zotto also registered a plus-two rating and three hits in the contest.
• Michael Sauer tallied his first goal of the pre-season at 19:01 of the first period, and blocked a game-high, four shots in 19:49 of ice time.
• Rangers’ forwards Alex Frolov and Erik Christensen each recorded an assist in the game. Frolov tallied the only assist on Del Zotto’s third period goal, and he is now tied for the team-lead with four assists and five points. Christensen registered the primary assist on Sauer’s first period goal, and finished the contest with a plus-two rating and won a team-high, eight face-offs in 12 attempts (67%).
• New York defensemen Michal Rozsival and Pavel Valentenko each tallied one assist in the contest. Rozsival registered the only assist on Gaborik’s power play goal at 1:00 of the first period, and logged a game-high, 23:26 of ice time. Valentenko assisted on Stepan’s third period goal, and recorded a plus-two rating and tied for the game-high with four hits.
• Matt Gilroy led all skaters with a plus-three rating and logged 18:18 of ice time. As a rookie last season, Gilroy registered a season-high, plus-two rating on October 2 at Pittsburgh and October 12 vs. Toronto.
• The Blueshirts’ practice schedule for tomorrow, September 30, is 11:00 a.m. at the MSG Training Center.
• The Ranges will return to action on Friday, October 1, when they will face-off against the Ottawa Senators at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.), in the first game of their home-and-home set. The contest will be televised live on MSG.

Zipay is reporting that PHX CBJ and FLA in the building to scout the Rangers. Strongest rumor is Sauer to PHX for draft pick. Also Steven Weiss is available but they want Dubi, we are not interested in moving him.

How about to assemble ” The Used Rangers-II Team” from still active former Rangers players-losers and have a charitable match with current Rangers team for Lost Hope Cup. All proceeds goes to Hockey Veterans with a Lost Memory Syndrome.

My buddy and I had seats in section 95 tonight and the guy across the aisle was by himself, watching the game intentily, had some all access pass and a clipboard on which he was taking notes all night. Looked like a scout to us. I hope they don’t trade Sauer, he really made his case tonight.

I was visiting my grandparent on Staten Island… watched the game with my grandfather who introduced me to the Rangers all those years ago…since they moved to SI few years back i miss watching games with him…had a lot of fun drinking cold beer with the grandpa while watching the team win!

Just finished watching the Rangers in 60. I have to agree Sauer, Avery, Stepan all had a strong game tonight. I have to beleive White is gone also, i’ve watched all the preseason games and I can;t remember White doing anything.

Blowzy was horrible tonight and Staal has been pretty invisible but he’ll be fine and Hank looked very good tonight allowing the only goal to Blowzy.

I would love to see Sauer and Valtenko make it over Blowzy and Emminger.

Maybe we can convince the scouts that Slowzival is going to have a comeback season. He is the best way to kill a Ranger’s power play and I can’t remember the last time he went into the corner in the d-zone and came out with the puck, even if he’s got a 10-stride lead going in. Always pulls up short and gets passed and loses the puck.

How about White, Kennedy, and Roszival to Columbus for their first round pick? Come on Sather. If you got Calgary to take Kotalik and Higgins in a trade you can pull this off.

As much as we all want to get rid of Rozi, he’s the senior member of the Rangers D corp. and the only over 30-year-old (pretty refreshing to say that!) and you need that experience around. He’s been through all of those playoff wars against ATL, BUFF, etc. and always seems to step it up for the playoffs.

I like all of Sauer, V-Tank, and of course McD, but the regular season is a different beast and at least Rozi is known to handle it.

I think Blowzy should be waived/buried, it would go a long way towered eliminating the culture of overpaid underperforming scrubs who plagued the team last season – Redden being gone was the first step.

Finally, I’m seeing a tougher team with more willingness to give a hit, mix it up along the boards and keep or get the puck back at both ends of the ice. Opposing teams were constantly able to attack in our zone for extended periods of time last year and we weren’t able to do the same. I don’t think we’re going to be pushed around like we were last year. Yes, there’s the Boogaard factor (imagine how much better he would be if he could skate!) but Boyle, Stall and Gilroy, among others, are more physical so far.

Frolov is a welcome addition not just for his scoring touch but for his physical game as well. Gaborik is no slouch and plays a fairly physical game despite being our big gun. Callahan will continue to be one of our hit leaders and Dubinsky (in camp from the beginning this year) with his added bulk, strength and confidence will be a PIA to play against. Both of them will score more this year. Even Anisimov, who’s no bruiser, has been more physical and shows improvement holding onto the puck and driving to the net.

Avery arrived in camp in GREAT shape and seems to have a better sense of what the team needs him to be. Interesting contrast how he played against the Devils (PsychoSean)and the Red Wings (PlayerSean). We need both sides of him, depending on who we’re playing.

Prust is a solid team guy who won’t avoid dropping the gloves when the need arises and he can chip in a few goals as he demonstrated last year.

MDZ has expressed his affection for the physical game and I don’t think he will suffer the dreaded sophomore letdown.

Mentally and physically we’re a better team this year. Hopefully, with an increased time of puck possession our goals for will increase and our goals against should decrease. We’re going to be tougher to play against. Lundqvist shouldn’t get run over as much and with a capable backup in Biron, The King should be primed for the playoffs (yes, we can get in).

Dont gloat about Islander injuries before the karma police catches up to us. Let’s just be happy our team is going to be young and exciting. Everywhere on these here fine internets there seems to be a proclivity towards sarcasm, cynicism and negativity. Those three things are the destroyers of empires. (ok, maybe Im being a bit dramatic..lol)…but can’t we just focus on the positives? Its why i love Greg’s posts so much…guy is dripping with energy and enthusiasm. And pencil me in with my buddy greg that the boogeyman gets a goal!! …what is the bet? whatever it is i’m in! LETS GO RANGERS!! …was really nice watching our talented players exhibit some tic-tac-toe passing yesterday!! SKILLS, son..you feel me?

I should add that this is a great community…one of the best on the nets…amazing how our joy for our hockey team can actually make people act civil towards one another! ;) ….plus we got a pro like Carp toiling in the comments section with us grunts!

Not gloating about it… just stating facts. Streit is out awhile, and now Okposo is too.

There has been a long history of freak injuries…. getting your shoulder blown out in a scrimmage off a hit from your own teammate has to qualify.

This Islanders franchise is in the toilet. Has been for awhile. And just when they get some positivity… they lose 2 of their best 3 players in a week, and their franchise goalie has the hips of an 80 year old. Bad luck? you decide.

Twice you’ve mentioned Roszival’s “playoff experience” ( such as it was), as someone that
Rangers would “need’ if they get that far. I’m sorry but the Rozi you watched was a long distance from the one I saw out there. Actually the poor soul ( thank you Jackie Gleason)
was little short of pathetic. He moped along, seemingly oblivious to what was going on around him, and on the Det goal he stood there in his Marek Malik posture, and he turned around a couple of times, and then he turned back again and then turned back to the original direction and did not move from that spot during that process..and in doing so he managed to have a shot tip off him somehow, and land in his own net. Shades of yesteryear. Actually he reminded me of the nerdy kid who makes the football team as a waterboy, and finally gets in the game due to his pop being coach, and then at the critical moment freezes in place. I see no upside to Rozi, no matter how many playoffs he made. If he’s this teams, ” playoff inspiration.” then Lord help them.